galway to clifden line

Fuinseog

does anyone know if you can still follow the line? i have heard bits are still intact. where is it best to walk along. i don't think its on the OS map. i know there is a station house at An Teach Doite.

?Cee?view

There was a thread on here a while ago that dealt with the old tunnel under Prospect Hill, where the entrance is behind the laundry - part of the old line.

Fuinseog

churchview wrote: »

There was a thread on here a while ago that dealt with the old tunnel under Prospect Hill, where the entrance is behind the laundry - part of the old line.

i remember that tunnel. i am interested in walking the line from maybe Moycullen to An Teach Doite, but i dont know how easy this would be.

?Cee?view

Where's bozcullen?

You'll find some information on the rail line from books by a Maurice Semple but I don't know if they have any maps.

Some of the stations are now private houses so I don't know if you'll be able to access the old line.

JayMcD

I've got alot of info on this, its a real shame they got rid of it, imagine would it be like if it was still there. shame.

g5fd6ow0hseima

So there was a tunnel for a certain stretch from the station out to the Corrib?

?Cee?view

Aubrie Old Yard wrote: »

So there was a tunnel for a certain stretch from the station out to the Corrib?

Yea, entrance is behind the laundry in Prospect Hill and exit is near where the Bish rowing club is at Steamer's Quay, before the bridge (pillars remaining) over the Corrib.

JayMcD

ya, it came out near where ldil is, then crossed over woodquay, the embankment is still there both sides of the river, there was a railway bridge kinda like athlone, then up through the univercity and on towards the west, if you look at google earth you can see its foundations most of the way, bare in mind, they look like land bondaries, but a distinctive straight line following a path can be seen.

?Cee?view

Just found some interesting photos

http://www.realizedvision.com/railways.php

and these are pictures of the stations

http://geoscene.ie/res/rail/gmaps/rail.htm

xtradel

There was a tv show on rte a few years ago called Off The Beaten Track which was about walking old disused railway lines. A book based on the tv programme by Kevin Cronin also called Off The Beaten Track was published at the same time.

tonyhiggins

Imagine what it would mean today if they'd taken the coastal route as they had originally planned...

Private Joker

There is an ongoing project to create a new walking route along the old line, from oughterard the whole way to Clifden. the old 6 inch mapping has the railway line on it. These are available not sure from where. you could try the osi office in Galway county council

mikemac

You can view the old tunnel entrance if you walk along the footpath to Renmore by the railway line
It's all covered in bushes and briars but still visible

JayMcD

You can view those 6 inch maps for free on the galway city concil website in the planning querie (spelling I know) section, also, a full OS map of county galway including good aerial shots of the entire county, think old railway line is on it also, not sure but you can work out the route from the old bridges that are marked, and the reasonably straight land line carving itsway through the countryside. think its galway.ie or galway county.ie i dunno, google it. you've no idea how fasinating the history behind it and galway for that matter is. should do some research, this city could of gone sooo many ways its crazy.

JayMcD

Thinkin about it, I should start a thread about the history of galway, and how it came to be, I love galway, its my home, and I love learning the history behind things or places and how they came to be, it knida gives you more of an apreciation of things and my dad was obssed with the place, suppose thats where i got it from, and if theres people out there that have a sense of belonging to Galway, I'm sure they'd love to read about the place.

civis_liberalis

The nature of the the landscape on the route of the line meant that there were quite a few bridges, none of which would be still intact. As a previous poster pointed out, many parts of the line are blocked by houses on private land.

Still, there are many stretches of it that are very accessible, just don't expect to be able to walk it all or anything.

JohnCleary

Great thread lads, loads of replies i'd love to thank.

Just a heads up for anyone feeling energetic.... there's many bridges on this line that don't exist anymore, so don't get caught out.

Here's a little gem of a website that i'll share with ye which will help you follow the Clifden line => http://ims0.osiemaps.ie/website/publicviewer/main.aspx?id=&utype=&ecom=S1&user=

A VERY valuable tool to many people (I swear to god if someone replies saying 'its just a stupid map of Ireland' i'll shoot ye!) - if you don't know how to use it properly, you don't deserve to live tbh

civis_liberalis

IT IS just a stupid map of Ireland tbh.

[ducks for cover]

Amazing I've never come across it before. Can't believe that it's available on the web for free. Hell, the fact that it's even on the web at all amazes me.

JohnCleary

civis_liberalis wrote: »

IT IS just a stupid map of Ireland tbh.

[ducks for cover]

Amazing I've never come across it before. Can't believe that it's available on the web for free. Hell, the fact that it's even on the web at all amazes me.

Much higher res is available for a fee

muskyj

JohnCleary wrote: »

Great thread lads, loads of replies i'd love to thank.

Just a heads up for anyone feeling energetic.... there's many bridges on this line that don't exist anymore, so don't get caught out.

Here's a little gem of a website that i'll share with ye which will help you follow the Clifden line => http://ims0.osiemaps.ie/website/publicviewer/main.aspx?id=&utype=&ecom=S1&user=

A VERY valuable tool to many people (I swear to god if someone replies saying 'its just a stupid map of Ireland' i'll shoot ye!) - if you don't know how to use it properly, you don't deserve to live tbh

Excellent!!

?Cee?view

JohnCleary wrote: »

Great thread lads, loads of replies i'd love to thank.

Just a heads up for anyone feeling energetic.... there's many bridges on this line that don't exist anymore, so don't get caught out.

Here's a little gem of a website that i'll share with ye which will help you follow the Clifden line => http://ims0.osiemaps.ie/website/publicviewer/main.aspx?id=&utype=&ecom=S1&user=

A VERY valuable tool to many people (I swear to god if someone replies saying 'its just a stupid map of Ireland' i'll shoot ye!) - if you don't know how to use it properly, you don't deserve to live tbh

That site is excellent!

I can see exactly where my house is in relation to the map from early 1800s. The feature where you can overlay the modern map onto the old map is incredible.

I can see that the old Circular Road (as it was then) is directly on what's recently called Kingston Road. You can even see where a green area that has a bus stop on it now, near the entrance to Manor Drive, Close etc. was the line of the old Circular Road.

Thanks JohnC!

JohnCleary

churchview wrote: »

Thanks JohnC!

I aim to please

?Cee?view

JC,

Any idea how to find the exact dates of the old maps on that OSI website?

JohnCleary

churchview wrote: »

JC,

Any idea how to find the exact dates of the old maps on that OSI website?

E-Mail them?

?Cee?view

Ya smart ars* bollix - I thought your superior IT skills might be able to garner such information from their site.

I shall email them or perhaps pen them a brief letter

JohnCleary

churchview wrote: »

Ya smart ars* bollix - I thought your superior IT skills might be able to garner such information from their site.

I shall email them or perhaps pen them a brief letter

Superior? Who told you my secret! :pac:

On a serious note, email them telling them you want to purchase maps (or some sh1te like that) and want to know when the historical maps are from - worth a try

?Cee?view

Well surely you need superior IT skills to build that time machine, or atom bomb, or whatever the hell you're at

Good idea. I'll email them with the threat of a large order!

JohnCleary

churchview wrote: »

Well surely you need superior IT skills to build that time machine, or atom bomb, or whatever the hell you're at

I'm actually trying to build a girlfriend that will stop nagging for more than 5 fcuking seconds. So far... FAIL :pac:

JayMcD

heard someone out there tried that too without succes, so they came up with a "rabbit", now they never see her...... off topic sorry,

KevinVonSpiel

JohnCleary wrote: »

Great thread lads, loads of replies i'd love to thank.

Just a heads up for anyone feeling energetic.... there's many bridges on this line that don't exist anymore, so don't get caught out.

Here's a little gem of a website that i'll share with ye which will help you follow the Clifden line => http://ims0.osiemaps.ie/website/publicviewer/main.aspx?id=&utype=&ecom=S1&user=

A VERY valuable tool to many people (I swear to god if someone replies saying 'its just a stupid map of Ireland' i'll shoot ye!) - if you don't know how to use it properly, you don't deserve to live tbh

It's just a stupid map of Ireland... I'm ready for ya, ya threatening fawker.

Actually, nice link. I zoomed in on myself having a dump while listening to old Nancy Drew episodes & reading boards. Go technology!

padraig71

The old railway is marked clearly on the Discovery OS maps, which are great for exploring your locality. But trying to find and walk the line is a challenge - nature can reclaim a lot in 70 years, not to mention issues of trespassing on private land etc. I have tried tracing the line near me in Roscahill, without much success.

However, there is a bit of it in Oughterard that is very visible, running over one of the old bridges; there is a good walk around the town that passes under said bridge (it's one of the suggested walking routes on the tourist sign on the pavement by the car park as you enter the town from Galway direction). Also, some of the old stations on the line are quite recognisable, though now private houses.

p.s. great link to the map site.